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Taraji
"How do I look?" I asked Colman, coming out of my bathroom. I'm trying to find the best last minute outfit for tonight since I was too busy to find one earlier. I come out wearing a white doll mini dress, with a pair of chunky heels. This is the 5th outfit I've changed into so far, and Colman does not seem to be very appreciative of that.
"You look like a million dollars, let's go."
"Ok wait just one-"
"Taraji, this is your event and you need to be there in 30 minutes. You don't have a car yet so now you're on my time. Let's go." He grabs his coat off the table and starts walking to my front door. I go over to grab my keys, lip gloss, and phone, and we head out the door.
–+--+--+--
The gallery is at an art museum downtown that just opened up. It was a part of an expansion the city did last summer. My old fine arts agent recommended this to me before he dropped me for being too "hard headed". All I want to do is get my art out there, and hopefully be able to collaborate with people.
Colman and I walked in the museum about 30 minutes late. I sent a text to all the people I invited that I'm here and waiting when they get here. Fantasia sent me a text back telling me that she saw me walk in and that she was waiting a long time. I look around confused, I don't see her. Cole gave me a hug, and walked out of the museum.
A few other artists came up to talk to me. I talk about me, my journey, and how it ties into my pieces. I walked over to the wall where all my art is with the people still lingering behind me. I spot Fantasia observing my art. "Hey Fantasia." I greet her with a low smile.
She turns in my direction meeting my line of sight, "Hello Miss Taraji," she looks back at the wall, "These are beautiful." Seeing Fantasia in her own beauty admiring my art is doing something to me.
"Thank you." I say before I clear my throat. The artists behind me have all moved and are all observing my paintings in their own essence. "So, um, which one is your favorite?"
"This one," She walks over to the piece on the furthest right. "This is a real feeling." It's a piece I did after I lost my father. It's a man walking alone down a street with no lights. The only light illuminating the street is the light from the moon. "He's walking down a dark road alone." I come up next to her when she says that.
"He's walking this dark road alone, and he doesn't know what's out there to get him." Fantasia makes a weird face after that and gets a little closer. "What is it?"
"Is that a figure off there to the side? Oh my.." I look at the part of the painting she is pointing to.
"Oh yea, that I actually added because it just felt so plain like this."
"It adds a lot." She steps back to where I am, and I start stepping closer to her.
"It's nice that you're admiring my art in this way, I made a slight generalization about you that you proved me wrong." She turns her head to me, squinting in question. "I just thought that you weren't deep into art to where you would understand the story behind it or anything I make." She gave a very long blink and laughed.
